Sugar Addiction

With me being on the verge of the age when diabetes shows up in my family, I'm facing the fact that my sugar addiction is going to kill me if I don't do anything about it.

And I'm not using the word 'addiction' as a joke or hyperbole - I am literally an ADDICT to sugar. I will find ways of getting it, lie about getting it, steal change to get it, and am always concerned of where I'm going to get my next fix. I can summon up the exact taste and textures of sweet items by memory and 'feel' them in my mouth. I have no control over this insane desire for sugar, and I cannot stop once I start on eating it. Have you ever woken up with a sugar hangover? I have, and it's comparable to an alcoholic hangover. I sometimes wonder if quitting sugar is even worth it - I may as well die happy with my face in a bucket of ice cream.

So, today, I have seriously begun a course of sugar abstinence. I had done it once before and it was ... difficult, to say the least, especially the first few months. (Yeah, MONTHS.) I figure the Eden Lives Healthy crowd would help me out as I get through this, as I am truly doing this for my health.

Has anyone else had to go through sugar abstinence or are living sugar-free?

I too have had to cut way back on sugar consumption for the same reasons. I love candy...and baking...and breads and potatoes... well, you know. Anyway, it's not just sugars I needed to cut back on but carbs too. If I skip carbs at dinner then I can have a piece of cake for dessert. And I'm good with that. Lots of fresh veggies out now, so it's easy to fill up! I also wear cotton candy perfume I buy at walmart (2 bottles for $5). It smells so good and I sort of get my fix that way too. I get lots of comments about it... who doesn't like cotton candy? lol

I used to eat an awful lot of sugar. Now, I don't - I keep my carb count down pretty low, and sugar is a very, very small part of that. It's tricky for me, because I am allergic to aspartame, so I can't do sugar-free products easily. I end up eating a lot of real food, though, which is probably healthier and it definitely makes me feel better.

Good luck with trying to cut back on your sugar. I'm sure it will be difficult, but you have our support.

Does eating fruit help with your sugar cravings? I know it's not the same as a cookie or a soda but if it could fight off the craving a little bit that might be the right option. I know it's much harder to overdo the fruit than it is with candy and stuff like that at least for me. I know I can easily eat several hundred calories worth of cake, but with fruit I'm not likely to eat more than like 2 oranges.

Also, just take it one day at a time. If you are thinking about it in terms of months and years it can seem like a huge obstacle and you are much more likely to become overwhelmed and give up. Just think about one meal or snack at a time.

Also look for progress not perfection. you may have a bad day and have more sugar than you would like but that does not mean you need to give up on yourself. Just start again the next day.

I have had to cut down on my sugar intake too. I used to be heavily addicted to sugar and soda was like a drug to me. I started out by slowly cutting back on soda and mixing sugar free candy into my snacking. Now I don't drink soda more than once a week and mostly snack on fruits and veggies. Carrots can really help cure the sugar need.

Aw! You poor thing! I am so sorry to hear that about the diabetes. I do have a little thing that would more than likely be a miracle for ya though! Aloe Vera pills! Seriously, I've been taking them and WOW! I don't have diabetes, but they're supposed to be extremely great for it and for preventing it as well as ALL disease. I don't talk about this often unless I absolutely have to, but I suffered with endometriosis (that's not the embarrassing part) it came along with a nice gift of IBS. Thankfully, I've claimed my healing this past month and I'm holding on to it for dear life! I've seriously changed totally in a month! I was staying really sick and was on meds and stuff this year and now I'm changing everyday. I feel like a new person. Seriously! I wish I'd have knew about this stuff sooner! We're currently under severe weather watches with tornadoes and such and just had one wipe us out last month and guess what? Anxiety is much calmer! I think you should really check into the aloe.

I know it's hard to go on someone's word and really step out and start using something you're not aware of. You can visit the online store where I buy mine. It's called Nature's Factory. I only use them because they're 100% and pure. Over 90% of aloe sold will say it's from the whole leaf or pure or 100%, but 10% of the time, it isn't. Anyways, you can email natures factory and ask them to send you their informational material. It's amazing! Its just a little stack of their papers and records, proof, benefits, etc. It explains every thing about aloe inside and out.

You could also try coconut oil. I know it's good for that stuff and for everything, but I've stopped eating it for a week becuase I ate too much the last time and got sick It's perfectly healthy, but you should always start off slow and at a low amount and don't be silly like me and decide to suddenly triple your intake! Lol Big mistake. It may help your cravings, but I know you say yours are very intense cravings and mine are too. I have had one mini crunch bar, 2 kit kats, and 1 mini butterfinger tonight! Lol. Oh yea, and an apple pie from Hardee's! Yikes! Lol.

I do hope this goes well for you or at least gets better. I couldn't imagine doing without my chocolate, dr. pepper and coffee! Can you just cut back or do you have to go "cold turkey" lol?

Thanks, everyone. I'm going 'cold turkey' on it, as even just a little bit can have me relapsing. It's the same as alcohol, drugs, and cigarettes ... one tiny bit and the body wants more. That's why I'm asking if anyone is living sugar-free and how they cope with it.

With me being on the verge of the age when diabetes shows up in my family, I'm facing the fact that my sugar addiction is going to kill me if I don't do anything about it.

And I'm not using the word 'addiction' as a joke or
...

With me being on the verge of the age when diabetes shows up in my family, I'm facing the fact that my sugar addiction is going to kill me if I don't do anything about it.

And I'm not using the word 'addiction' as a joke or hyperbole - I am literally an ADDICT to sugar. I will find ways of getting it, lie about getting it, steal change to get it, and am always concerned of where I'm going to get my next fix. I can summon up the exact taste and textures of sweet items by memory and 'feel' them in my mouth. I have no control over this insane desire for sugar, and I cannot stop once I start on eating it. Have you ever woken up with a sugar hangover? I have, and it's comparable to an alcoholic hangover. I sometimes wonder if quitting sugar is even worth it - I may as well die happy with my face in a bucket of ice cream.

So, today, I have seriously begun a course of sugar abstinence. I had done it once before and it was ... difficult, to say the least, especially the first few months. (Yeah, MONTHS.) I figure the Eden Lives Healthy crowd would help me out as I get through this, as I am truly doing this for my health.

Has anyone else had to go through sugar abstinence or are living sugar-free?

I have just given up lots of things including sugar,all grains,mayo,salad dressings. I eat healthy fats fruits and vegtables,thats it..when my container of almond milk is gone even giving that up. I get all my calcium from my healthy diet,shakeology..soon I'm starting on a fish oil supplement I don't want to eat fish.

I suggest shakeology for you because it stops food cravings,helps you lose weight,is really healthy. by end of week 12 you lose 10 pounds and have reduced risk for heart disease and other degenerative diseseas,lowerd cholesterol on average by 30% a nd even up to 70%,healthier skin and nails.

I have been taking it for 3 monthes it has lived up to every promise..yes its expensive it costs me $90 a month..when you think about it...its really not expensive like $3 a day. Think of all the other things you can cut out like junk foods and other supplements and just take this,well fish oil if you want to take something else..

I have just given up lots of things including sugar,all grains,mayo,salad dressings. I eat healthy fats fruits and vegtables,thats it..when my container of almond milk is gone even giving that up. I get all my calcium from my healthy
...

I have just given up lots of things including sugar,all grains,mayo,salad dressings. I eat healthy fats fruits and vegtables,thats it..when my container of almond milk is gone even giving that up. I get all my calcium from my healthy diet,shakeology..soon I'm starting on a fish oil supplement I don't want to eat fish.

I suggest shakeology for you because it stops food cravings,helps you lose weight,is really healthy. by end of week 12 you lose 10 pounds and have reduced risk for heart disease and other degenerative diseseas,lowerd cholesterol on average by 30% a nd even up to 70%,healthier skin and nails.

I have been taking it for 3 monthes it has lived up to every promise..yes its expensive it costs me $90 a month..when you think about it...its really not expensive like $3 a day. Think of all the other things you can cut out like junk foods and other supplements and just take this,well fish oil if you want to take something else..

While Shakeology sounds like it's working great for you, it's definitely not for those looking to live sugar free. The first ingredient on the label (under other ingredients under all of their nutritional info) is fructose (while fructose is a fruit sugar, it's still a sugar additive with almost identical chemical structure to glucose) and the label reads 9 grams of sugars per serving and 17 grams of carbohydrates. It also lists Stevia (a sweetener, albeit a naturally derived one. It's commercially marketed popularly as Truvia) not as an ingredient, but as one of the nutritional factors. It still sounds like a decent meal replacement product, but not a sugar-free-living one.

While I've never intentionally abstained only from sugar, I recently completed a fast that a church I sometimes attend was doing (which Chilli, you KNOW, is not like me but a good naysayer gives things a fair try before saying it doesn't work LOL). It goes by the name of the Daniel Fast and it was 21 days of no refined or added sugars, no processed foods, no dairy, no artificial ANYTHING, nothing fried, nothing leavened, no caffeine or even decaf. beverages, no white flour, no alcohol, and no meat. Essentially, it was a diet of raw, roasted, and steamed fruits and vegetables, raw and roasted (yet 'unprocessed') nuts, unleavened bread, and water. Salt, herbs, and pure oils were also included. My diet essentially consisted of organic whole wheat tortillas with unrefined almond butter on them, raw fruit, and the occasional roasted potato or other veggie. My 'snacks' were more fruit, and roasted sunflower seeds.

This is NOT how I normally eat. I'm not a big fast food/fried person, or too in love with sugary stuff, but I am definitely a carb junkie and a natural born carnivore. And I was pompous enough to think it would be easy - I figured hunger would be the worst part. I did great - for the first 3-4 days. After that, I CRASHED. You know the feeling - coming down off all my refined sugars and complex carbs. It sucked. I was tired, I was headachey, and I was a royal bitch to everyone around me. It took about 5 days of sticking to the fast and drinking water like crazy and basically just sucking it up to get through that. But after that? (about halfway through the fast), my body kicked it. It actually got used to the diet and seemed happy with it. It doesn't mean there weren't cravings, and I did my best to quell them with fruit. If that's something you're allowing yourself, I recommend stocking up. Seriously, Costco style - I was averaging a pound of red grapes a day toward the end. It's what got me through, and it's amazing how quickly pineapple and raspberries became a 'treat'.

Day 3 - I've joined OA (Overeaters Anonymous) and got a sponsor to push me in the right direction. The headaches are quiet now (though still there), and I only get flashes of cravings instead of constant. However, I do feel extremely starved even though I'm actually eating healthy servings of lean meat, fruits, and vegetables three times a day. When you're used to eating a lot your stomach thinks it's starving when you portion control because it's been expanded all that time.

I'm told it takes two to three weeks to fully 'sober up' from the sugars and flour. But the physical withdrawal symptoms (headaches, hunger, etc) will be only a few days. I've also been knitting like crazy - I think I'll actually finish my Tom Baker Doctor Who scarf in time to give to Master for Christmas.

Chilli-I can somewhat relate to what you're going through. I used to do the same thing, I would sneak sweets, steal change, a lot of similar behaviors. For me, the wake-up call was when I started having to be on mandatory PT (Physical Training) for the Navy. I had to keep a food journal that I handed in every week, plus I was forced to workout for 2 hours a day (at least) 5 days a week. I also got to be weighed and measured once a week by skinny little men who had never known what it was like to gain a pound. This caused me to really pay attention to what I was eating, and with the help of my ex-husband, I managed to keep myself on a very strict 1200 calorie a day diet. It took me a month or so to stop having cravings for sweets, but I eventually got to the point where I didn't even want them. It's not easy, I know, but you can do it. I also went "cold turkey" and it's tough. If you ever need any support, don't hesitate to ask. Good luck!!!

This post is great. I'm also a sugar addict. I've been trying to lose weight, and I've cut way back on my sugar consumption. I'm also an emotional eater. My job is really stressful right now, and I keep wanting zingers or a candy bar from the vending machine. I really understand how difficult it is to stop eating the sweets, but I know you can do it.

On Thursday, June 24, I had my first 30 days of sugar abstinence. Was that a white-knuckle month! Well, Master should appreciate the scarf I've knitted for him while keeping out of the kitchen. Not only did I cut out sugar, I have also cut out white carbs (that was harder) and high-fat items. As a result I've lost 13 pounds*.

It can be done.

To continue the healthy lifestyle change! One day at a time, so I won't start stressing about the holidays yet.

*(When first starting a healthy eating program, it is normal for those with lots to lose to start out losing a lot [usually water]. The body does get used to the change and will settle into a more reasonable 1 to 2 pounds a week.)

With me being on the verge of the age when diabetes shows up in my family, I'm facing the fact that my sugar addiction is going to kill me if I don't do anything about it.

And I'm not using the word 'addiction' as a joke or
...

With me being on the verge of the age when diabetes shows up in my family, I'm facing the fact that my sugar addiction is going to kill me if I don't do anything about it.

And I'm not using the word 'addiction' as a joke or hyperbole - I am literally an ADDICT to sugar. I will find ways of getting it, lie about getting it, steal change to get it, and am always concerned of where I'm going to get my next fix. I can summon up the exact taste and textures of sweet items by memory and 'feel' them in my mouth. I have no control over this insane desire for sugar, and I cannot stop once I start on eating it. Have you ever woken up with a sugar hangover? I have, and it's comparable to an alcoholic hangover. I sometimes wonder if quitting sugar is even worth it - I may as well die happy with my face in a bucket of ice cream.

So, today, I have seriously begun a course of sugar abstinence. I had done it once before and it was ... difficult, to say the least, especially the first few months. (Yeah, MONTHS.) I figure the Eden Lives Healthy crowd would help me out as I get through this, as I am truly doing this for my health.

Has anyone else had to go through sugar abstinence or are living sugar-free?

I've never tried to give up anything entirely from my diet because I know that just creates desire. Food is a very personal relationship and i don't know what works for you, but can you try sugar in reasonable doses or replace it with something less harmful? When I cut back on my coffee drinking I make tea or when I try and stop snacking I keep grapes around. Neither of these are perfect solutions, but they keep me away from high doses of caffeine and fried crunchy goodness. Also, concerning diabetes overall, have you tried keeping a food journal? Keeping track of what and when you eat can help you learn why you crave sugar so badly or if anything triggers that addiction.

don't go cold turkey; remember you do need sugar. i would start getting it from veggies and fruit (keep fruit to a minimum though) and avoid candies, pop, fast food, processed food, etc. like the plague. if you crave something sweet, have a carton of blueberries around and have a few.

also, a food journal is an awesome idea. talk to your dr.; maybe he/ she knows a support group you can join